The Rise and Fall of Knights
by Marcuskaim
Summary: As a Jedi, you live and die by the Code. But who is to say that it is the right Code?  Please read and review! Good or bad!
1. PrologueZiaon

**Disclaimer: **Let's see…this is a story a friend and I are working on. I or we don't own anything of Star Wars. However all the character/planets in this story will be original and it will be set in an alternate universe. I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for reading and please review!

Prologue: Ziaon 

He walked slowly through the temple, his cloak dragging softly over the bodies of the dead. Corpses littered the stone floor and the air smelt of burnt flesh. He paused before the bodies of a little girl and a woman, perhaps mother and daughter, for the woman's lifeless hands still gripped the child.

He checked their pulses, just in case. He found nothing and moved on. Even with all his training, it was hard to suppress the emotions that came when the eyes of an innocent child stared back at him.

But it was the way of the code, to feel nothing; doubts he may have had, but it was the only _way_. Doubts had risen since their mission on Craine; Zanah's scream echoed through his mind at the thought. "There is no passion," he thought.

He stopped over the body of a Guardian, a protector of some sort for this temple. None of them had ever had a chance. He continued on until he reached two massive doors and stopped. He exhaled slowly. He could feel the other man through the doors, feel his mind and presence as if they were his own.

The Masters had volunteered him because of this…this bond he shared with the man beyond the door. The Masters had decided to use this to their advantage, believing that the bond would help in the surrender of the other man.

He glanced back through the hall of the dead, and at the end of the hall he could make out the two figures of his Masters. Their forms seemed to beckon him onward; he went forth. With a wave of his hand the two doors slid open, revealing a massive chamber, lined with statues of legends he did not know. Heroes of a different age.

At the end of the chamber stood a man shrouded in black. Darkness seemed to reverberate around him.

He took a step in the chamber and with each step the chamber began to fill with whispers; these whispers were in a language unfamiliar to him, but he didn't need to know the language to know that these whispers were of agony, of pain and suffering.

As he neared the other man, the darkness around him faded away and the whispers came to an eerie stop halt, causing him to stop in his tracks.

The man turned around to face him. His face had an edge of steel to it, something that had not been there the last time they had seen each other.

"Ah, Darris! I wasn't expecting you so soon; I have much to show you."

"You know I can't, Zarren."

Anger flashed across Zarren's face and then quickly disappeared. "Oh? So you are still their tool, to use whenever they wish it? Does this not anger you? Are you not enraged at what they did?"

Darris looked away from Zarren's eyes, his doubts resurfacing. He searched for. "I want retribution just as much as you do, Zarren. But it is not the way."

The anger quickly returned to Zarren's face. "Not the way?" he said, raising his voice so that it echoed throughout the chamber. "She was your sister, Darris! How can you feel nothing?"

Darris' eyes fell to the floor in shame. He had had no choice. They had made him leave; they had made him leave her. "I…I don't know," he said, returning his gaze to Zarren.

A gleam of light entered Zarren's eyes. "It doesn't matter now. I found what the others told us about, in the stories…I found pow…" Zarren cut off abruptly, eyes darting down the chamber.

Darris followed his gaze slowly. The Masters strolled in the chamber as if they owned the place.

'You brought them here?' Zarren's thought echoed through his mind.

'No. You did that with your killings.' He conveyed the thought through the bond they shared.

"You have done well, my padawan." The taller of the two Masters, Master Kaahn was a legend among the order.

"I am sure the council will raise you soon." Master Raan was a legend in her own right and had been Darris' sister's Master. The two Masters took up a position on either side of Darris, facing Zarren.

"You said I was to be given more time, Masters," Darris said, glancing at Zarren.

"We sensed that he was too far gone." Master Raan's voice cut through the air like a knife through butter.

"No one is ever too far gone for redemption," Darris countered.

Master Raan quirked an eyebrow. "Are you questioning us, padawan?"

Darris gritted his teeth and bowed his head. "No, Master."

"Very well, then," Master Kaahn continued. "Zarren Sahga, on behalf of the High Council of the Jedi Order, you are under arrest for the murder of Master Corbin and the genocide of Ziaon. Surrender your blade and prepare for judgment."

Silence fell throughout the chamber.

Then, suddenly, there was laughter. Darris knew that laugh; he had heard it from Zarren several times when they were young.

The laughter stopped. "You two dare accuse me of murder, after what happened on Craine?" Zarren shook his head. "No, Masters, it is you who will be judged."

In a flash Zarren's blade was in his hand, ignited in a brilliant purple. What was once a room of silence now sounded with the clashing and humming of lightsabers. Darris ignited his blade, but hesitated to join the battle.

The Masters traded strikes, working as a team. Zarren deflected the attacks with ease but was forced to retreat.

'Help me, Darris!' The thought slammed across Darris' mind. He lowered his head in shame.

'I can't.' He relayed the thought back to Zarren. The lightsabers cracked and hissed as they met. Darris took a step forward and heard a crunch at his feet. Glancing down, he noticed the remains of some type of artifact.

Suddenly a surge of Force rippled through the air, sending Zarren sliding on his back to the feet of Darris. Another surge of Force slammed Zarren to the stone floor keeping him pinned, his purple blade winking out of existence.

Zarren thrashed against the invisible hands holding him in place, as the Masters aimed their blades to his neck. At once, both the Masters noticed the shattered remains of the artifact. "He must be destroyed" Raan said.

Master Kaahn nodded his head.

"What?" Darris heard his own voice echo and through the bond Zarren screamed for help. "No, he must go before the Council!" he said looking at his Masters desperately. They both ignored him; Master Raan gave a slight nod to the other for the kill.

Darris' mind raced frantically, as his Master raised his blade for the kill. 'Help!' screamed across his mind. Darris moved, faster than he had ever before, his blade slicing through the mid-section of his former Master Kaahn. Before the body hit the floor, he called on the Force and threw his blade into the stomach of Master Raan. The Master let out a shriek of pain and fell to her knees. It was over as fast as it had begun.

He exhaled slowly, his mind still racing, and walked over to Master Raan to retrieve his blade. She was still alive.

Zarren stood, now free of the invisible hands that had held him, shock apparent all over his face. He knelt down and picked up Master Raan's blade.

"Darris," she said in between spouts of blood. "Killing me won't bring your sister back."

"I know." His voice was as cold as ice. "But it's a start." He ignited his blade and plunged it through her chest. "There is no passion."


	2. The Three

15 Years Earlier

Pristine was a small town just on the outskirts of the much larger city of Primus. However, its size made no difference in comparison to being one of the largest moisture-farms in the entire region. Merchants and traders came from all over the rim to acquire the latest technology in water vaporizers.

The harsh desert planet it was, Skain was one of the few desert planets that was habitable this far in the outer-rim. Pristine sat in the shadow of the mountains; beyond, lay the Endless Dunes of Araag. Stories of ancient civilizations were said to be buried beneath the sands, protected by creatures of myth. Terrible creatures - creatures that went beyond legend. Creatures that defied legends. But who could believe such stories with no evidence? No one ever survived through the night in the Endless Dunes.

The seasons of Skain were much different than other planets in the inner-rim. The summers had you wishing for winter and albeit short the winters had you wishing for summer.

She remembered once hating this type of harsh climate, wishing for the summer to end and for the blasted winter to begin. That was a distant memory now, just on the edge of existence of her mind.

Jaraiya had been a Jedi Knight for several years now, but prior to that she had been a padawan for much longer. To say becoming a Jedi was extraneous was an overstatement by far; many years of training and trials had carved Jaraiya into the Jedi Knight that she was now. But what was she, a Jedi Knight, doing on the planet Skain? The Jedi High Council saw it fit to appoint her as First Recruiter of the Jedi Order.

Of course they had their reasons of appointing her this position, they always did. Her keen ability to sense those that were strong in the Force is what had her all the way in the far reaches of Skain. Her search had gone on for several months and she had already found two recruits. They were no more than street urchins found in Primus. Though they weren't as strong as most recruits, they still had the ability.

She had sent them to the Jedi Temple a week ago and had been ready to leave herself when she caught voice of the city's gossip.

Oh, it was normal city gossip- from food spoiling to people going missing in the Dunes. However, one rumor did catch her attention and it was for that very reason she was in Pristine. She pulled her cloak close as the wind threatened to throw sand in her eyes. Children ran back and forth, playing their childish games. She watched the children for a moment, then kept moving.

Her source of the rumor had said what she was looking for was one of the last houses in town. The house had been easy enough to find, taking her only a few moments to locate. It was a moderate sized house-no doubt they were the higher ranking farmers in town.

Jaraiya took an inward breath and stood before the door to the house. Using the Force, she searched the house; the walls and doors became transparent, allowing her to see any life forms within. Instantly she knew everything about the abode; it was as if she was seeing the very blueprint of life through the Force.

She could see a man and woman standing in what appeared to be their kitchen, talking about some matter of work. They appeared, in Jarayia's eyes, a bright blue, the color of all non-Force users. She let go of her sight of the house and knocked on the door, feeling the man and woman tense at the sound.

However, she was completely unprepared for what she felt next. It wasn't the man or woman, but a little girl who came running to answer the door. The girl was extremely strong in the Force, stronger than her or even Master Corbin.

Jaraiya could hear the excitement of the little girl through the door. "I told you! I told you," said the little girl as she opened the door. She was a pretty girl, with fair skin and long brown curls for hair. Her eyes were a deep emerald; they were eyes that seemed to hold more knowledge than they ought to. Her parents, Jaraiya presumed, had a look of bewilderment on their faces.

"Are you here to take us to the Academy Jar-aye-ya?" The girl squished her nose. "Is that how you say it?"

Jaraiya was caught off guard. How did this little girl know her name? Let alone know that she was here to take her to the Academy. The girl was to young to have remembered if Jaraiya had visited before. Jaraiya glanced up at the parents, who had remained in the kitchen, still as shock as she. She regained her thoughts and looked down at the girl. "I am at a lost. You seem to know who I am, but I know very little of you. This is the Rath residence, is it not?"

The girl giggled. "Yes it is. I am Zanah Rath," she gestured to her parents. "And these are my parents. Please come in!" she said, moving out of the door to allow Jaraiya passage. "I'm going to go get the boys," Zanah said as the door slid shut.

Jaraiya raised an eyebrow as Zanah disappeared into the next room. "I am sorry for the abruptness of my visit,"she said, turning her attention to the parents. She removed her hood and bowed her head. "I am indeed Jaraiya. Jaraiya Tenum, First Recruiter of the Jedi Order."

"We have heard much about you already," the father said. "Zanah likes to talk a lot," he added with a smile. "I am Marc, and this is my wife Lenay," he said, gesturing to himself and then his wife. Jaraiya could see the resemblance of Zanah in her parents. She had her mother's looks and her father's eyes.

"Would you like a drink?" Lenay asked.

Jaraiya nodded her head. "Please."

"Zanah has been talking of your arrival for little over a month now," Marc continued. "As you can tell, we didn't believe her til the moment you knocked on our door."

"You are here to recruit our children, right Master Jedi?" Lenay said as she offered Jaraiya the drink, which she took with thanks.

The rumors back in Primus had only hinted at one child, she thought to herself. "I am here for that, yes" she said after a moment. "Zanah has a rare gift, as you are already aware of, one that could be place very high among the Jedi." She could read the doubts that began to surface on Lenay's face. "Each recruit is provided with living quarters and three meals a day..." she cut off as two boys along with Zanah entered the room.

The first was without a doubt the brother of Zanah; he had the same curly brown hair, only much shorter, and grayish blue eyes. He was the perfect mix of mother and father. However, the second boy bore no resemblance of any kind to the Rath family. While his hair was wavy black, and he had light green eyes, his skin was fair just like the other two children.

The boys looked at her, grayish blue and green meeting her own. Once again she got the same distinct feeling that those eyes held far more knowledge than they should.

"This is my son, Darris," Marc broke the silence, gesturing for Darris. Darris walked over and stood in front of his father. Marc placed one hand on his son's shoulder and gestured to the other boy with his free hand. "And this is their friend, Zarren Sahga."

Jaraiya glanced to the boy, who had taken a seat next to Zanah. "We have looked after Zarren since he was three."

Jaraiya reached for the Force and tapped into her talent. Suddenly her vision was full of light, nearly blinding her. Marc's and Lenay's blue light was a firefly in comparison to Darris' brilliant light. She risked a glance at Zarren and Zanah, and quickly released her talent. She had not experienced something like that since the time she had used her talent in the front of the High Council - and that was in the presence of seven Jedi Masters, not three children! She took a drink from her cup to hide her shock.

"Boys," Marc continued. "This is Jaraiya Tenum, the Jedi Recruiter Zanah spoke of."

"She doesn't look like much of a Jedi." Jaraiya quirked an eyebrow at Zarren, the source of that comment.

"Where are your manners Zarren?" Lenay's motherly voice chimed in. Zarren mumbled a apology, while Zanah giggled at him. Darris remained quiet, studying her with those gray eyes. "I apologize Master Jedi. As you can tell, our children don't get out very often, nor do we ever have visitors," Lenay said sending a glare to Zanah.

Jaraiya waved off the apology. "I am here to recruit your children," she said after a moment. "And since you haven't chased me away, I'll assume that you are at least considering the thought." She watched as husband and wife shared a look; Marc mumbled something about Jedi under his breath.

"You are right," Marc said turning his gaze back to her. "We have been considering it since Zanah spoke of your coming."

"You see Master Jedi," Lenay interjected. "We love our children and they are gifted indeed but they just don't..." she paused, looking at the children.

"Fit in," Marc finished. "They weren't made for this small town life. Their 'gifts' scare the townsfolk, and sometimes harm others." For a brief instance Marc's eyes flickered to Zarren but quickly returned to Jaraiyas. She wondered for a brief moment what had transpired, but dismissed it for later.

Jaraiya placed her drink down and replaced her hands within her robes. "The choice is yours to make, I cannot make you give up your children to the Jedi Academy, despite what the rumors say about the Jedi. We do not steal children away in their sleep. However, that being said, if left untrained, their powers will become unstable and perhaps hazardous to those around them. And most importantly, without proper training their powers can become dangerous to themselves."

Marc and his wife shared a long look at each other, he placed a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder. "We give you permission to take the children," he said, his gaze never leaving his wife's.

"What?" Darris screeched, looking to his parents.

Zanah bounced up and down, nudging Zarren in the side. "I told you so!"

Marc knelt before his son. "Darris, I am sorry. But this is for the best,"he said softly as tears began to softly trickle down Lenay's face. "You are meant for great things," Marc continued, his voice growing louder so the others could hear. "You all are meant for great things and this Jedi can give you a life far beyond anything yourmother and I could ever give you." Marc cleared his throat, perhaps to hide that it was beginning to crack. "Now go and get packed,"he said,giving Darris a gentle push; Zarren and Zanah jumped to be the first to their rooms, Darris leaving somewhat reluctantly.

"Where are Zarren's parents?" Jaraiya asked quietly, once the children were out of earshot.

"I'm going to help the children pack," Lenay said wiping tears from her eyes. She placed a small comforting hand on the shoulder of her husband and then left the room.

Marc watched his wife leave in silence and then stood. "Zarren's parents were killed several years ago," Marc said, returning his gaze back to Jaraiya. "We heard the screams of his mother in the night."

Marc's expression became dark, recollecting the memory. "By the time I and several others got to the house, Zarren's father was already dead...he had been strangled to death." He paused for a moment and Jaraiya waited patiently for him to continue. Marc sighed. "We found no trace of the mother and found Zarren in one of the storerooms."

Jaraiya watched Marc for a moment then asked, "Zarren has no recollection of this?"

Marc shook his head slowly. "If he does, he has told none of us." He hesitated for a second, a second only a Jedi would have caught. "There was something." He paused, searching for the right words. "Something unnatural about that night, Master Jedi, and only that boy truly knows."


	3. Space

Space is cold and dark, just as his father said to him a few nights before. 'I tell you this Darris because you need to know the truth,' he recalled. Darris hated his father for that truth just as he hated the coldness of space. It was a constant reminder of what he was leaving behind: his home.

Zarren and Zanah didn't seem to notice, and neither did the other two children Jaraiya had picked up. Kynra Rose and Ari Kenon, both girls his age, had already befriended the three of them. They had come from one of the inner colonies on Haiyle's Hope, and were from a family of miners.

The five of them were all now playing a guessing game, which Darris wasn't mentally taking part of, to pass the time of their trip. His mind was focusing on the stars racing by their view port. Skain was far behind them now, the giant sand ball that it was; Darris had lost sight of it as soon as they jumped to lightspeed. All they had were each other now.

"Darris, its your turn" Kynra's voice ripped him from his thoughts. She smiled at him, just as she had smiled at him on his previous turns.

"Oh," Darris said after a moment. "Right, I pass." Ari snorted and Zanah rolled her eyes, though Kynra's smile never faded. Darris turned back to the viewing port feeling his cheeks redden; he could hear Zarren chuckling at him; then the game continued for another round. He was about to pass up his turn again when the doors opened with a swoosh followed quickly by Jaraiya. She was no longer covered by her robe, but wore a tan colored tunic; it struck him then how much younger she looked without it.

She smiled slightly as she crossed her arms behind her back waiting for them to quiet down, it only took them a moment, her presence seemed to command silence itself. "We will be arriving at the Jedi Temple in a days time," she said. "You will have the day to get settled, but tomorrow," her eyes took in everyone's, "tomorrow you will begin your training." Her gaze seemed to be searching their very souls. He wondered for a moment just exactly what she was searching for.

"The training will be difficult and strenuous, I won't lie. It will make you want to quit, it will make you cry when you are in bed at night." She was speaking from experience, Darris realized. "You will miss your parents, but that will fade in time. Just as your old life styles will fade.

"But it will make you who you are to be. Keepers of the Peace, Protectors of Democracy and of those in need of protection. You will be Jedi." Jaraiya paused, allowing her words to settle on them.

Ari jumped when Jaraiya broke the silence. "Upon arriving at the Temple you will be put into your age groups." Both Zarren and Zanah looked at him with a frown; they were to be separated. "Zanah and Zarren, you will be in the Nexu clan." She glanced to Darris, then Kynra and Ari. "You three will be in the Krayt clan. Remember it, for it will dictate where you will be placed and your classes. I will see you when we land." And with a wave of her hand the door swooshed open and she was gone.

Darris glared at the empty space that once had been Jaraiya, not hearing his sister's empty apology or Kynra and Ari's excitement about the three of them being in the same clan. Instead he turned his gaze to Zarren.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Zarren said. "Its not my fault!" Darris turned his gaze to his sister and reached out to her through the bond they had shared since before he could remember.

'It is his fault,' Darris relayed the thought to his sister. 'Everything is his fault!'

'I am sorry,' the thought boomed across his mind as Zanah reached out to him. They had had this argument every night since they had left. 'Please don't start again,' she relayed. Darris rolled his eyes in frustration and caught Zarren watching the two of them. Darris stood and wondered for a brief moment if Zarren knew about their bond; he dismissed the thought. Not even their parents knew of the bond his sister and him shared. He made a vexing noise and left the room, not giving anyone that chance to ask him where he was going. In truth, he wasn't even sure himself -he was just following his feet.

The ships corridors were long and alien to him; he was tall for his age, almost as tall as Zarren, but the halls made him feel like an infant. He passed crew members and passengers, all of whom took no notice of him. His mind began to drift away as he walked. The Jedi had taken him from his parents and now they were taking him away from his sister and Zarren. 'Zarren,' he thought to himself. They were here because of him; because of what he had done.

He evaded one of the crew members as he turned a corner; he didn't want to be a Jedi either. Why would he want to protect the very people that made his parents keep their children secluded from others? But most of all he was afraid, afraid of what the future might hold as a Jedi. He turned another corner and realized that he was no longer just following his feet, but rather he felt as he was being pulled to a part of this ship. Following that pull until it led him to a door labeled: Observatory Room. The door opened silently as he approached; the room was dark. Only the dim light of passing stars kept it from being complete darkness.

Cautiously he entered the room just enough so that the door wouldn't close on him. The room grew darker as the door closed behind him. It was dark to the point where he could only distinguish the shapes of furniture as if only seeing their shadows. He tried to slow his breathing; he could hear it over the hum of the ship's engine. His eyes searched the room; he could feel the source of the pull, but couldn't pin point it.

"What are you afraid of?" A woman's voice whispered, that seemed to come from all over, breaking the silence of the room. He remained silent and gripped the sides of his pants, his eyes darted back and forth, searching the room, but it was too dark. "No, search with your feelings," the voice whispered again. "Your eyes are useless here."

Darris hesitated, trying to grasp what the voice meant. What did his feelings have to do with seeing? His eyes strained in the darkness began to hurt, he closed his eyes and did as the voice told. He felt his fear of being away from his parents, his anger at Zarren, and his confusion about his future. He shook his head and forced those feelings aside and focused on the room. Something came to life then, he could feel the room around him, he felt that if he walked the room with his eyes closed he would have no trouble running into the furniture. And that's when he felt the pull again, his eyes opened and focused on the far corner of the room.

"Good," the voice, sounded as if it was smiling, now came from the corner of the room. "Lights," the room slowly lit up and Jaraiya almost seemed to materialize out of the darkness into being. She watched him for a long moment, causing him to shift nervously on his feet. "You are closed to me, Darris Rath," she broke the silence, nearly causing him to jump. "You remind me of myself." she glanced slowly out into space, watching the stars pass.

Was she waiting for him to say something in return? He thought; he decided to say nothing, silence sometimes held more power than words did. She turned her gaze back to him. "Your sister misses your family as you do, but yet she is eager to be here at the same time. It is the same for Ari and Kynra." Her eyes seemed to scrutinize him, making him want to squirm. He resisted it with some effort. "Zarren was a little more difficult, but I see now his motive is to learn. No doubt he has discovered some part of his powers and is curious."

Darris' mind flashed, rekindling his anger for Zarren, he forced the unwanted memory before it could surface further. Jaraiya quirked an eyebrow at him; did she recognize his anger? "You are reluctant maybe?" She continued as she crossed the room until she was in the center, her eyes remaining focus on him, but he felt that she was looking beyond him. It took all of his effort not to waver under that focus. "Tell me something Darris," she went on, crossing her arms behind her back. "Did you get along with the other children of your town?"

"I-" Darris started, but was cut off by Jaraiya's soft voice.

"What about Zanah? Or Zarren for that matter?"

"Well Zarren..." he started to protest but was cut off again.

"What about your studies?" She asked. "Did you not excel well above the other children?" The truth behind her words caused him to shift on his feet. "Even your teachers," she continued, "were less than adequate when it came to your understanding of their studies."

Once again her words held truth, shattering his walls of defenses. His mind searched frantically for any shred of evidence to deny her, but could find none. She was right, he had finished at the top of his class every year, as well as his sister and Zarren. Childhood games were trivial to them; even his sister, who loved everything, only endured them rather than enjoyed them. Of course that was before the incident that Zarren had caused.

Jaraiya seemed to realized that her words had affected him and knelt down in front of him. She smiled at him and took his right hand. "You are more at home now than you ever were back in Pristine." With her free hand she reached into her tunic and placed its contents on his hand. It was cool to the touch, which made him look down in confusion. His hand now held a silver chain with a stone attached to it; the stone seemed to give off a dim blue glow. The glow of the stone seemed to put his mind at ease, soothe his soul. "For when doubt fills your mind." Darris turned his gaze back to Jaraiya as she smiled and returned to her feet. "Keep it hidden," she added with one last smile. "You should get some rest." And with that she returned to the view port and maintained her gaze on the stars.

Darris closed his fingers around the stone. His lips formed into questions that he could not voice; after a moment he turned and left Jaraiya to herself.

He found his room easily enough and placed the stone in his pocket before he entered.

"Where did you go?" both Zanah and Zarren echoed from their beds; he glanced to Kynra and Ari, who were already asleep.

"No where," he answered as laid in the bed provided for him. That answer seemed to suffice for Zarren, who returned to his back, his sister however tried to probe at his mind through their bond. He shut her out harshly. She made a vexing noise, but was soon asleep several moments later.

Lying awake, he twirled the stone between his fingers. His anger for Zarren was still there, though not as potent as before. But his reluctance was gone. Or so he thought.

He listened to the steady breathing of the others, the slow and steady hum of the ship's engines, the sounds of his new life. You are more at home now than you ever were...His eyes slowly drifted to sleep and his mind filled of dreams of an old temple and endless dunes.


End file.
